Rotary Club to embark on punctuality campaign

The Rotary Clubs in Ghana would embark on a punctuality campaign to help cultivate the habit of promptness and discipline across the country.

The Rotarians would by this education instill the habit of timekeeping and time management in Ghanaians.

Mr Sam Worentetu, the District Governor Elect of Rotary District 9102 in Africa, speaking at a media launch in Accra to celebrate the 111 years anniversary of the Rotary Club , expressed worry about how Ghanaians especially, the leaders in public service, attended events late.

Mr Worentetu quoted an Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, report that says African countries lose a minimum of five per cent of Gross Domestic Products because peoples’ time are often wasted, and stressed, however, economic empowerment could be realised if people were punctual.

The Rotary Club was established on 23rd February, 1905 in Chicago, United States of America, as a service club.

Through the formation of clubs in diverse locations, dedicated individuals join their leadership skills and expertise in many fields to exchange ideas, build relationships, and take action to solve societal problems. Their activities are funded through donations from members and the friends.

Thus, the anniversary is being marked by Rotarians across the world.

In Ghana, a week-long of activities, including intercity meeting for all Rotarians, a Rotary Day Concert, a football match, and the presentation of a plaque to Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, the Speaker of Parliament, would mark the event.

Mr Worentetu stated that the Rotary Club had identified six areas to help maximise the local and global impact of the Club on: Peace and Conflict Prevention; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water and Sanitation; Maternal and Child Health; Basic Education; and Literacy and Economic and Community Development.

He said Rotary had pioneered the National Immunization Days against Polio in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, Center for Disease Control of the US, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to reduce the number of polio endemic countries from 125 in 1985 to two at the close of 2015.

He said Rotary had spent more than 1.2 billion dollars on these interventions, and polio cases worldwide had dropped from a high of 350,000 a year to less than 100.

Mr Worentetu urged the public to join the Club and contribute in its advocacy and humanitarian activities to better the society.

Rotary was established in Ghana on October 24, 1958. It has 38 rotary clubs and a membership of 1,186 Rotarians.

Rotary operates on the principles of the “The Four Way Test” developed by Herbert J Taylor in 1932: